IELTS Reading
About the IELTS Reading test
The reading test is different for IELTS Academic and IELTS General candidates
3 sections, 40 questions, 60 minutes
Academic Reading
Each section contains one long text. Texts are authentic and are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers. They have been written for a non-specialist audience and are on academic topics of general interest. Texts are appropriate to, and accessible to, candidates entering undergraduate or postgraduate courses or seeking professional registration. Texts range from the descriptive and factual to the discursive and analytical. Texts may contain non-verbal materials such as diagrams, graphs or illustrations. If texts contain technical terms, then a simple glossary is provided. There are three texts and 40 questions.
General Reading
- Section 1 contains two or three short factual texts, one of which may be composite (consisting of 6-8 short texts related by topic, e.g. hotel advertisements). Topics are relevant to everyday life in an English-speaking country
- Section 2 contains two short factual texts focusing on work-related issues (e.g. applying for jobs, company policies, pay and conditions, workplace facilities, staff development and training)
- Section 3 contains one longer, more complex text on a topic of general interest
Texts are authentic and are taken from notices, advertisements, company handbooks, official documents, books, magazines and newspapers.
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